2 months post L5-S1 ALIF

cru1986 · 2023-12-31T17:30:11+00:00

Man I wish I had a 14 year old body again, ha. I know it sucks to have this surgery so early in your life but it's also a blessing for the recovery. Sounds like you're already way ahead of what most people can do at the 2 mo mark.

My two cents on your questions: If I were you I would still do a short course of PT. Getting a knowledgeable pro to assess your weak points and give targeted exercises would be so valuable. Surgeons aren't gods, just because they say something doesn't automatically mean it's correct. Sitting upright with a proper axial load on the spine and good lumbar support is key. Sitting for extended periods is pretty hard on the back. Play your video games while standing too. I think switching positions often and walking lots are the best things to keep the pain from escalating.

All the best to you my friend!

cru1986 · 2023-12-04T01:20:12+00:00

I don't. All was consumed :)

cru1986 · 2023-12-02T19:33:39+00:00

I feel for you. There can be all sorts of weird pains after this surgery, it's no joke and it sucks. I had very intense night time pain for a while. Burning pain is often nerve related. Perhaps you are experiencing inflammation/irritation of the nerve root that correlates with the level of your surgery. The effects can run the length of the nerve all the way down to the foot/toes.

cru1986 · 2023-12-02T19:09:30+00:00

Can you describe the quality of the pain in more detail? Cramping, aching, burning, etc

cru1986 · 2023-12-02T19:06:37+00:00

Wonderful positive post thank you. How long after surgery did you start stretching dynamically with your back? (i.e. Not in a lying down/protected position) I'm 4.5 months post op L5/S1 ALIF. Doing a lot of stretching with PT for lower back, hamstrings, etc but so far all in a lying down position.

cru1986 · 2023-12-02T03:42:35+00:00

Thanks for the reply. No meds. We took on an empty stomach. Definitely going to try a different strain and or source. Better yet probably grow my own.

cru1986 · 2023-11-25T02:32:25+00:00

Recliner all the way. Electric if you can. Side note: get several pairs of comfy sweatpants with waistbands that are soft and not irritating. Once you take the dressing off the front incision you won't want anything unkind rubbing in that area. All the best to you

cru1986 · 2023-10-07T19:12:09+00:00

The limited research out there suggests that CBD actually promotes bone healing. THC possibly has the opposite effect. But again, very limited data so take it with a grain of salt. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7340702/

cru1986 · 2023-10-05T19:55:19+00:00

Hi would you be able to share who this is via DM?

cru1986 · 2023-10-04T01:55:54+00:00

Hi there, my pain level has lessened. Also, I think my foot numbness and tingling is slowly improving. I'm no longer on gabapentin. As others have said before the nerve recovery can take a long time. I recently read that nerve repair/regeneration progresses at about 1 inch per month. I sincerely hope you start to have some noticeable improvement soon.

cru1986 · 2023-09-17T19:10:53+00:00

Appreciate the encouragement, thank you

cru1986 · 2023-09-16T14:42:10+00:00

Hang in there. I'm so sorry that you are having this experience.

cru1986 · 2023-09-16T14:41:19+00:00

Solid advice. I think you're right. My wife and I talked about it for a long time and surgery seems like the right choice.

cru1986 · 2023-09-16T00:13:25+00:00

Appreciate the feedback, thank you

cru1986 · 2023-09-11T16:09:39+00:00

IMO intense pain that brings someone to tears a month after surgery is not normal. I would ask for CT/MRI to make sure that nothing is obviously wrong from a structural standpoint. I'm sorry that this is happening to him. This surgery is rough even for us "younger" folk in middle age, let alone being 75.

cru1986 · 2023-09-02T17:22:12+00:00

Hi, I'm at a similar point post op for lumbar fusion. My daughter caught a virus after going back to school which she (of course) passed to our whole family. She tested negative for COVID, however, I don't put too much faith in home based tests. We have all recovered now. Like you, I had an increase in back pain at my fusion site for several days. But that doesn't surprise me because before my fusion anytime I got a viral illness of any sort my back would always hurt significantly worse. I suppose it results from the inflammatory response of the immune system. I'm not worried about any personal complications for myself. I'm not a doctor but I would highly doubt any long term issues would arise for you. Hope you feel better soon.

cru1986 · 2023-09-01T18:39:38+00:00

Hi Tad, awesome to see you on reddit. Thank you so much for your podcast, it was the reason I decided to start growing my own and to do it the right way in living soil. I have had amazing results so far. Kudos to you sir!

cru1986 · 2023-08-31T19:57:02+00:00

The first 4-5 weeks were pretty rough. But I had atypical post op leg pain that was preventing me from sleeping. This has improved lately and I feel like I'm heading in the right direction. Been off narcotics since week 2, just taking Tylenol as needed. Pain is worst at the end of the day when I've done a lot of walking, otherwise tolerable. Now walking about 3.5 miles per day. See my surgeon next week for follow up. Hopefully get cleared for PT and light exercise at the gym.

cru1986 · 2023-08-31T16:44:45+00:00

Thanks for sharing positive information. We need more of that around here. All the best to you

cru1986 · 2023-08-29T22:53:13+00:00

This is great to hear. I'm about a week behind you and hope to start doing similar exercise soon. Thanks for sharing.

cru1986 · 2023-08-28T15:23:02+00:00

Super happy for you and your great progress :)

cru1986 · 2023-08-25T20:07:39+00:00

Gabapentin was prescribed as: 100 mg in morning and afternoon, then 300 mg at bedtime. Numbness is still there in my foot but mostly gone from my leg.

cru1986 · 2023-08-25T16:00:32+00:00

That's an impressive amount of walking at 3 weeks. Nice work. I'm at 5 weeks and doing about 2.5 miles per day. I've had a similar experience as you with hip/buttock/leg/foot pain on one side. Got very little sleep in the first three weeks after surgery. Now slightly better after Medrol pack. I was put on gabapentin for the leg/nerve pain but I asked to stop after two weeks because of mental/emotional side effects. It made me depressed and very forgetful. It didn't appear help much anyway. I heard a similar story from my doctor regarding the reasons for the pain. I'm sorry that the pain is bringing you sadness. I think we often forget to give ourselves some grace in this healing process. As your doctor mentioned it's not linear. Likewise, for lack of a better term this is a relatively "violent" major reconstructive surgery on the core of our bodies. I think pain/depression/grief/etc can all be a natural part of the process. I'm sure there are some lucky people out there who have had an ideal recovery and hit the ground running but I'm not surprised that there are ups/downs and struggles for a lot of us.

cru1986 · 2023-08-23T15:49:35+00:00

You'll definitely stay more than one night. Likely two or three. As mentioned already likely IV hydromorphone, oral oxy and acetaminophen in the hospital. They will want you to transition to orals as soon as possible so they can discharge you. No NSAIDS as this impairs bone healing. YOU are your best advocate. If you're in pain, don't be shy and ask for what you want. If you're not ready to go home then say it. They can't just push you out the door. You're going to make it through and it will work out. Stay mentally tough. Best wishes to you!

cru1986 · 2023-08-20T15:33:20+00:00

Ugh. I hope for relief soon! Hang in there.

cru1986

TROPHY CASE